Page 25 of 436

To fold a seatback forward, pull this lever up and fold the seatback forward.
To return the seatback
to the upright position, just push the seatback
rearward until
it latches.
After returning the seatback to its upright position, pull the \
seatback forward
to make sure it is locked.
I * If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop
or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
I press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.
Safety Belts: They’re For Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells
you some things you should not do with safety belts.
* Don’t let anyone ride where they can’t wear a safety belt properly. If
you are in a crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be
much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed. In the same
crash, you might not be
if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened
I properly too.
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Seats & Safety Belts
AM110001
This figure lights up when you turn the key to RUN or START when your
safety belt isn’t buckled, and you’ll hear a buzzer or t\
one, too. It’s the
reminder to buckle up. In many states and Canadian provinces, \
the law says
to wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a cra\
sh, you don’t
know
if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are very mild. In them, you won’t get hurt eve\
n if you’re not
buckled up. And some crashes can be
so serious, like being hit by a train,
that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive. But most cr\
ashes are in
between. In many
of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could be badly hurt or killed.
After
25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes
buckling up does matter
. . . a lot!
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AM11 001 8A1
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. For example, if
the bike is going 10 mph (16 kmlh), so is the child. When the bike hits the
block, it stops. But the child keeps going!
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Seats & Safety Belts
AMI 15003 AM1 15004
Take the simplest “vehicle.” Suppose it’s just a seat on wheels. Put someone
on it.
a
L
AM115005
Get it up to speed. Then stop the “vehicle.” The rider doesn’t stop.
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d
AM115006
The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it
could be the windshield
. . .
m
AM115007
or the instrument panel .
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Seats & Safety Belts
i
1
AM115008
or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get\
more time
to
stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the for\
ces.
That’s why safety belts make such good sense.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety
Belts-and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I’m wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be-whether you’re wearing a safety belt or not. But you can
easily unbuckle a safety belt, even
if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so you can unbuckle and get
out, is
much greater if you are belted.
Q: Why don’t they just put in air bags so people won’t have to wear
safety belts?
A: “Air bags,” or Supplemental Inflatable Restraint systems, are in some
vehicles today and will be in more of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only-so they work
with safety belts, not instead of
them. Every “air bag” system ever offered for sale has required the use
of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has “air bags,” you still have to
buckle up to get the most protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
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Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I
wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an accident - even one
that isn’t your fault-you and your passengers can be hurt. \
Being
a good
driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond your control, \
such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest
number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
K244
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a light will come on for about
eight seconds to remind people to fasten their safety belts. Unless the driver’\
s
safety belt is buckled, a buzzer or tone will also sound.
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Seats & Safety Belts
How To Wear Safety Belts Properry
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
* There are special things to know about safety belts and children. And
there are different rules for babies and smaller children. If a child will
be riding in your vehicle, see the part after this one, calle\
d
“Children.” Follow these rules for everyone’s protection.\
I
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your vehi\
cle has. We’ll start
with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
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gEa
K2124
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